Deck 2: Minerals

Question 1

Which of the following is not a true statement about mineral properties?

A) Luster is the way in which a mineral reflects light
B) Pyrite has a metallic luster and is a yellowish mineral but it will not streak the same color as gold
C) Calcite dissolves rapidly releasing visible bubbles of carbon dioxide gas so the acid test is useful for identifying if the mineral calcite is present
D) Some minerals have a natural magnetism such as a magnetite which is why geologists test minerals with magnets to check for this characteristic
E) Fluorescent minerals emit visible light when they are exposed to radiation

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Which of the following is not a true statement about streak?

A) Streak is less reliable for identification than the color of the mineral itself
B) Streak refers to the color of the fine powder of a mineral when it is rubbed against a streak plate
C) Many minerals have a diagnostic streak color that is different from the actual color of the mineral
D) Black shiny hematite and red hematite both have the same red powder when streaked against a streak plate

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is not true regarding the crystalline nature of minerals?

A) Every mineral has a crystalline structure and a crystal
B) Every mineral has solid elements whose atoms are arranged in a regular, periodically repeated three-dimensional pattern
C) Most minerals are formed as tiny crystals that grow as layer after layer of atoms or ions are added to their surfaces
D) Giant halite cubes are the result of a single halite crystal that formed large enough for an unaided eye to see the crystal
E) A halite crystal can grow if salty seawater evaporates leaving behind more and more sodium and chlorine ions that precipitate onto the corners, edges, and faces of the growing crystal

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is not a true statement?

A) Orthoclase, quartz, and topaz will be scratched by corundum on the Moh's Hardness Scale
B) Halite, calcite, apatite, and orthoclase are scratched by fluorite on the Moh's Hardness Scale
C) It is possible for the object or mineral that is being used to scratch something else to leave a trail of its own powder on the surface of a mineral
D) It is important to rub away the powder trail and feel the surface of a mineral for a groove to determine if the mineral has indeed been scratched

Question 5

Which of the following is not a true statement about an element?

A) A total of 88 elements naturally occur in the Earth's crust
B) Oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium are the elements that make up more than 98% of the Earth's crust
C) A negatively charged ion is classified as an anion while a positively charged ion is classified as a cation
D) All of the above are true statements about elements

Question 6

Which of the following is not a true statement about the hardness of a mineral?

A) If a pocketknife can scratch a mineral, it means the mineral is 5 or less on the Moh's Hardness Scale
B) If a human fingernail can scratch a mineral, it means the mineral is 2 or less on the Moh's Hardness Scale
C) If a window glass can scratch a mineral, it means the mineral is 5.5 or less on the Moh's Hardness Scale
D) If a steel file scratches a mineral, it means the mineral if 7.0 or higher on the Moh's Hardness Scale
E) If quartz scratches a mineral, it means the mineral is 7.0 or lower on the Moh's Hardness scale

Question 7

Which of the following would not true about rock-forming silicates?

A) Feldspars make up half of the Earth's crust and are divided into two groups, plagioclase feldspar and alkali feldspar
B) Quartz is pure silica and makes up 12% of crustal rocks
C) Quartz is common in continental rocks
D) Quartz is common in continental, oceanic rocks, and mantle material
E) Pyroxene makes up to 11% of the crust

Question 8

Which is not a true statement about asbestos?

A) Amphibole asbestos is a potential carcinogen and this type of asbestos has sharp, pointed crystals
B) Flexible chrysotile fibers are not as potent of a carcinogen as amphibole asbestos but they can still cause cancer
C) Every type of asbestos is a potent carcinogen regardless if it can blow around or it is woven into a cloth
D) If your school was built before 1978, it could have had asbestos used for insulation
E) The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 was passed by Congress to remove asbestos from schools and other buildings

Question 9

Which of the following is not a true statement about mineral properties?

A) Color is the most obvious property of a mineral but it can be unreliable since many minerals occur in multiple colors
B) Corundum is typically a cloudy, translucent, brown or blue mineral
C) If a small amount of graphite is added corundum, it converts this mineral into a gemstone called a diamond
D) If a small amount of chromium is added corundum, it converts this mineral into a gemstone called a ruby
E) If a small amount of iron or titanium is added corundum, it converts this mineral into a gemstone called a sapphire

Question 10

Which of the following is not a true statement?

A) If you are working with feldspar and quartz in a dust format, this can cause serious inflammation and scarring of your lung tissue called silicosis
B) If you are sandblasting quartz countertops, this type of work would require protective gear to prevent exposure to dusts that could lead to silicosis
C) Silicosis has become less common since OSHA instituted regulations for protective equipment which limits the amount of dusty inhaled by a worker
D) Coal dust inhaled by miners did not cause similar health issues like silicosis

Question 11

Which of the following is a true statement?

A) Tasting halite is an acceptable method for identifying the mineral since a human cannot physically see its atoms
B) Color is the most effective method for identifying if a mineral is halite
C) Cleavage in a mineral means that a mineral break along flat surfaces
D) Fracture means that a mineral breaks apart at planes or weak bonds
E) Specific gravity compares the weight of a substance to an equal volume of water

Question 12

Which of the following is not a true statement?

A) If asbestos is found at surface, it is not considered harmful or dangerous to humans, plants, or animals
B) Radon gas is considered to be a radioactive carcinogen
C) Mercury is considered to be a toxic element
D) Arsenic is considered to be a toxic element
E) Lead is considered to be a toxic element

Question 13

Which of the following is not a true statement about coal and oil?

A) These organic substances form the decomposition of plant and animal tissue
B) If coal and oil are produced in a laboratory or by industrial processes, the substances are now considered to be minerals
C) Oil is a liquid so it cannot be a mineral because minerals must be in a solid form
D) Bacteria that live under glaciers are considered part of the biosphere
E) Coal and oil do not have a definite chemical composition so they cannot qualify as minerals

Question 14

If you purchase a synthetic ruby, which of the following is true about that gemstone?

A) It may have intrinsic value but it is not a naturally occurring mineral since it is synthetic
B) A synthetic or manufactured ruby is worth more than a naturally occurring ruby
C) A synthetic ruby forms by natural processes on the Earth
D) A synthetic ruby is identical to a natural ruby except for how it formed

Question 15

Multiple Choice Which of the following is not a true statement about minerals?

A) Minerals are the building blocks of rocks
B) All minerals are gemstones
C) A mineral must have a definitive chemical composition and crystalline structure
D) A mineral must be naturally occurring which means that a synthetic mineral such as synthetic diamond is not considered to be a true mineral
E) All minerals are solids

Question 16

Which of the following is not a true statement?

A) Ore minerals can be found in nature as a single element
B) Very few ores or metals are chemically bonded to other elements because they have more monetary value as a single element
C) Industrial minerals have economic value and an example of an industrial mineral would be halite mined for table salt
D) Industrial minerals can be mined from volcanoes such as native sulfur which is used to manufacture sulfuric acid, insecticides and eve rubber

Question 17

Which of the following would not be a true statement about silicates?

A) Silicate minerals have a pyramid-shaped structure referred to as the silicate tetrahedron and this is the building block of all silicate minerals
B) Silicate minerals combine with other elements such as aluminum, iron, calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium
C) Quartz is the only common silicate that contains only silicon and oxygen
D) All of the above are true statements about silicates

Question 18

Which is not a true statement?

A) A common carbonate rock is limestone
B) A common carbonate rock is dolomite and this mineral is harder than calcite because it has one extra magnesium atom
C) Calcite acts as a raw ingredient of cement that helps keeps hard pieces of shells of dead marine organisms together
D) Limestone should react to acid because it contains calcite
E) Carbonates are much more common than silicates in the Earth's crust and are commonly found on large regions of every continent

Question 19

Which of the following is a true statement about minerals?

A) A total of 88 elements occur naturally in the Earth's crust
B) Eight elements make up more than 98% of the crust
C) The composition of a mineral can be expressed as a chemical formula such as SiO₂ for quartz
D) Quartz would not have the same chemical formula anywhere else in the universe-its chemical formula is unique to Earth
E) 3500 minerals are known on Earth

Question 20

Which of the following is not a true statement? A) Gem stones are classified primarily for their rarity and/or beauty
B) Industrial-grade diamonds are beneficial for mining in the Earth's crust because they are very hard minerals
C) Depending on its monetary value, a gem will be classified as either precious or semiprecious
D) If you purchased a semiprecious gem known as garnet, it would not be worth as much money as a precious gem such as an emerald
E) Precious gem stones include diamonds, emerald, ruby, and sapphire
F) All of the above are true statements

Question 21

Which of the following properties would be the least effective means of mineral identification for the mineral calcite?

A) Cleavage
B) Taste
C) Color
D) How it reacts to acid
E) Streak color

Question 22

There are nine abundant minerals groups in the Earth's crust in spite of 3500 minerals that have been identified on Earth.

Question 23

Which of the following properties would be the most effective means of mineral identification for the mineral mica (muscovite)?

A) Cleavage
B) Taste
C) Color
D) How it reacts to acid
E) Streak color

Question 24

Corundum will scratch topaz, diamond, and quartz because it has a Moh's Hardness of 9.

Question 25

Peeling a layer or sheet of mica is an excellent example of fracture for a mineral.

Question 26

Which of the following properties would be the most effective means of mineral identification for the mineral pyrite known as fool's gold?

A) Cleavage
B) Taste
C) Color
D) How it reacts to acid
E) Streak color

Question 27

Which is not a true statement about minerals?

A) If a mineral occurs in a rainbow of colors, color would be a good characteristic to classify that mineral
B) Granite likely contains quartz and feldspar minerals
C) If a mineral only comes in one or two colors, color would be a good characteristic to classify that mineral
D) Quartz has a hardness of 7 on the Moh's Hardness Scale and it will scratch apatite and orthoclase
E) The primary mineral that can be identified by its reaction to acid is calcite

Question 28

Which is not a true statement about radon?

A) Radon is caused by the radioactive decay of radon gas found in many rocks such as granite and shale
B) Radon can be found in soil because of the weathering of granite and shale rocks
C) Your home may contain higher levels of radon if it has poor ventilation and specific types of geologic rock such as granite or shale that it is built on
D) The highest levels of radon measured in a home were from Reading Prong that was on a uranium-rich body of granite
E) You can install a radon detector at most hardware stores to help monitor the levels of radon in your home

Question 29

Which is not a true statement?

A) Sulfide ore minerals include combinations of metals such as lead, zinc, copper, cadmium, and mercury
B) If there is a mining operation for sulfide ores near your home, you only need to be concerned about water pollution issues
C) When sulfur minerals are mined without adequate pollution controls, it can escape into water and form sulfuric acid
D) The sulfuric acid that forms from the weather of sulfide ore minerals can cause other minerals to dissolve from the rock causing these metals to become part of the groundwater and surface water system

Question 30

The best way to test a piece of calcite is with scintillometer that measure radioactivity in a mineral.

Question 31

Since the color and shape of quartz varies from sample to sample, a geologist may need to examine other physical properties to properly identify the mineral.

Question 32

Which of the following properties would be the most effective means of mineral identification for the mineral corundum?

A) Cleavage
B) Hardness
C) Color
D) How it reacts to acid
E) Streak color

Question 33

Pyrite known as fool's gold has a metallic luster because it looks like gold.

Question 34

Which of the following properties would be the most effective means of mineral identification for the mineral calcite?

A) Cleavage
B) Taste
C) Color
D) How it reacts to acid
E) Streak color

Question 35

By definition, a mineral is an organic substance that is a solid and has a definitive chemical composition and crystalline structure like shells made up of calcite.

Question 36

Like the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Industrial Revolution, and the Computer Age, a future "age" could occur if humans find new mineral resources on Earth.

Question 37

Which of the following properties would be the most effective means of mineral identification for the mineral halite?

A) Cleavage
B) Taste
C) Color
D) How it reacts to acid
E) Streak color

Question 38

The color of a mineral is not the best way to identify a majority of minerals because small amount of chemical impurities and imperfections in crystal structure can dramatically alter color.

Question 39

Which of the following properties would be the most effective means of mineral identification for the mineral hematite?

A) Cleavage
B) Taste
C) Color
D) How it reacts to acid
E) Streak color

Question 40

Quartz displays an excellent cleavage because it peels apart into layers like mica.

Question 41

If you are streaking hematite that is a dull red mineral or a shiny black form, what specific color will either version of hematite streak?

Question 42

Besides feldspar, what specific mineral is known for causing fatal inflammation and scarring of the lung tissue, called silicosis when it is ground to dust? ______________________________

Question 43

Which is the most common mineral that makes up the Earth's crust? ____________________

Question 44

If you are holding a piece of talc, what minerals on the Moh's Hardness Scale would scratch it?

Question 45

CaCO₃ is the chemical compound for dolomite and dolomite is harder than calcite because it has one extra molecule of magnesium in it.

Question 46

If you are holding a heavy mineral, this would mean it has a high or low specific gravity?

Question 47

Silicate minerals are very abundant because silica and oxygen are the two most plentiful elements in the crust and these two minerals readily combine together.

Question 48

Which carcinogenic mineral can cause air pollution and comes from granite and shale rock that radioactively decay.

Question 49

The chemical formula for quartz is SiO₂ which means that it is made up of one atom of silicon for every two atoms of what specific element?   ______________________________

Question 50

If you lived near a mining operation, you should be concerned about what type of acid mine drainage that could cause water and air pollution in your home or groundwater system? ______________________________

Question 51

Pyroxene is a common mineral found in continental rocks and this mineral makes up to 11% of the Earth's crust.

Question 52

You are holding a piece of corundum-what specific mineral on the Moh's Hardness Scale will your piece of corundum not scratch? ______________________________

Question 53

If you purchase an amethyst, you would have purchased a semiprecious gem stone.

Question 54

The reason that oil and coal are not a mineral is because both are made up of ___________ solids as compared to inorganic solids?

Question 55

What specific type of fracture does quartz commonly exhibit? ____________________

Question 56

If you are testing a mineral for magnetism, you are trying to determine if the mineral attracts what to it ? ___________________

Question 57

Completion
If you purchased an emerald, ruby, or sapphire, what type of gem stone have you bought? ______________________________

Question 58

Which specific mineral causes cancer and has long, thin fibers that can become captured in a human's lungs? ______________________________

Question 59

The 88 elements that occur naturally in Earth's crust combine in multiple ways to form various minerals. How many minerals are known to humans? ______________________________

Question 60

Olivine is common in the Earth's crust especially continental crust because it is found in the mantle and comes up to the surface via hot spots.

Question 61

Essay
Explain why a geologist would expect to find more granite on continents as compared to basalt.

Question 62

Explain why coal and oil are not considered minerals.

Question 63

Explain why laws were passed and which laws were passed to address Silicosis and Black Lung conditions.

Question 64

Explain why a geologist would expect to find more basalt on ocean floors as compared to granite.

Question 65

Explain the difference between an ore mineral and an industrial mineral.

Question 66

Explain why quartz will scratch orthoclase.

Question 67

Explain why you would expect to find pyroxene in oceanic crust as compared to continental crust.

Question 68

Explain how clay forms.

Question 69

Discuss the differences between chrysotile and amphibole types of asbestos and identify which one(s) causes cancer and explain why.

Question 70

Short Answer
Explain how minerals are the building blocks of rocks and rocks are not the building blocks of minerals.

Question 71

Discuss how halite, gypsum, apatite, and phosphatic minerals are used as commercially important minerals.

Question 72

Explain how you might contract cancer if your house was exposed to radon gas.

Question 73

Explain you would not expect to find amphibole in oceanic crust but commonly in continental crust.

Question 74

Explain how the Earth's systems (atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere) are powered by the Sun.

Question 75

Explain how you might contract cancer from asbestos if you went to elementary school in a building that was constructed in 1965.

Question 76

Explain how you might get toxic levels of sulfide ore metals in your groundwater if you live close to a mine that has acid drainage.

Question 77

Explain how living on granite or shale could increase your chances of having higher levels of radon gas enter your home.

Question 78

Explain how you might contract silicosis if you worked at a fiberglass manufacturing plant that makes boats.

Question 79

Explain why quartz is the most widespread and abundant continental crust rock.

Question 80

Explain why we have carbonate rocks on continents like North America.